Mayor Has Time To Flip Burgers?
Yes, I am happy a Johnny Rockets opened downtown- and I will frequent the one in Little Tokyo occasionally. But it it not that good of a burger place (I lived across street from one in Manhattan Beach and it could not stay in business and moved inland- I guess people at beach are more into sushi and not burgers).
But why does Mayor Viagra whatever-his-made-up-name is have time to do this bullcrap when he claims he was too busy to address the imigration protest that was at his office’s front door step? I really don’t care much what he does as it is all pretty ineffective, but he should not go to some burger slinging joint and pretend to be a cook. What was monumental about a Johnny Rockets opening downtown? Why was he not cooking fries at the Carls Jr that opened on Broadway?
Check out the coverage of his over-the-top appearance here- and we pay this guys salary. Sad.
awww.. I thought the piece was pretty well written and timely myself.
A lot of the work that the Mayor and the City Council do is representing the city in welcoming new business to the area. Granted an individual can say they do or don’t like something but (and I do like the hamburgers there, but I have had bad service in the Orange Co. locations) when it comes to bringing tax revenues that are badly needed to the city, one has to be happy for the new business.
I’m looking forward to the one in Little Tokyo as that is an easier walk for me, and the office workers and folks in South Park will surely be eating at the 5th & Fig location.
I think that the photos show a willingness to have a good time doing something that might possibly get to be rather repetitive… Ribbon cuttings happen a lot and it’s always nice to make each of them a memorable event not just for those attending but those who make it a living attending such things.
Honestly,I think ribbon cuttings and business opportunities for the city are a couple of the BIG reasons The People pay the Mayor ‘the big bucks’ so to speak. Answering to the people of course, like you say is another one. =)
sincerely,
pamela
May 16th, 2008 at 10:23 pmHmm, I’m going to bite my tongue as I am not happy with most politicians downtown, well in the state and the country too. If you think it’s cool for Mayor to flip burgers for a photo-op, so be it. And please Meeka, do not take anything personal as I have many friends with differing political views.
May 16th, 2008 at 11:11 pmBut I do think that the Carls Jr will bring more tax money to downtown- and there was zero coverage of that (not that there shoud be) What makes Johnny Rockets so special that the Mayor and Councilpeople show up?
May 16th, 2008 at 11:27 pmWhy do the City Council and the Mayor show up?
It is a sign that gentrification is on it’s way.
When the GAP and bed bath and beyond show up , you bet your bottom dollar there will be a huge big deal made about it.
May 17th, 2008 at 12:46 pmLook at it this way, Eric. At least when he’s flipping burgers at a hamburger joint we know he’s not out there seducing female TV reporters!
May 17th, 2008 at 8:43 pmDude- he is not fooling anyone- it’s like having a fox watch the hen house with him and all those PR ladies around. For that reason alone I like the Mayor- at least he’s an admitted player and not a sneek-around-on-his-wife like many of the other politicians we hear of that have affairs for years.
But again, where does he draw the line on what store opeings to attend- it’s one thing to get a huge retailer to move downtown and celebrating it (is there really any other large shop than Macys downtown? Get a Nordstroms or Neiman Marcus here, and I’ll be at the ribbon cutting. But a big deal at a burger joint that has marginal staying power seems a waste of city resources.
May 17th, 2008 at 9:17 pmIt’s funny to see a post about the mayor … I mentioned to my wife the other day how different politics seems to be here in L.A. than back in Chicago - and it starts at the top.
All this talk about redoing downtown is great, but it’s time for action. I have only been here a month and a half but I have back-read a lot of blogs and things seem to happen slowly here.
I can speak intelligently on Mayor Daley in Chicago having lived there for five years. He does the ribbon cuttings, he does the cheezy stuff here and there but he also plays hardball and gets things done. It would be nice to see that here downtown.
I never see the LA mayor leading the news, calling people out and demanding that this or that gets done.
May 18th, 2008 at 4:04 amNot to belittle the success of Johnny Rockets, but it’s a franchise operation that is in no way the league of the Macy’s and Targets of the world.
Personally I’d like to see a Target open up in one of the Macy’s (preferably Macy’s Plaza) buildings because we really don’t need 2 of the same thing IMHO. I know some people shop there but I’d rather have a real chain store that has stuff I actually would buy.
Maybe I’m not the most stylish raccoon crumbing up the sidewalks with my au lait and brownies, but I can’t afford a lot and Macy’s usually disappoints me (I’m in an in-between phase: too big or too small for what they have & too dang pricey if they did!). I miss Dillards. The one in New Orleans always had something on sale. *shrug* We can’t all get what we want all the time, I guess.
As for the Mayor, I’ve not been in LA long enough to have voted on his job. Whatever he does in his personal time is none of my business. None of us are perfect, even if we want the world to think we are. =)
ps: sorry for the run-on sentences.
May 18th, 2008 at 8:49 amMeekorouse, I disagree that what the mayor does in his personal time is none of your–or my–business. When we elect public officials, we should at the very least get responsible, ethical behavior from them. He sat and watched while his girlfriend went on her network’s news program and reported on his affair with an “unnamed source”–which turned out to be her! The mayor has three school-age children and he owes it to them–and to the city–to be a good, responsible father.
No, we’re not all perfect but we don’t all cheat on our partners, humiliate our children and spouses and watch our cheating partners go on TV for exclusive reports on the relationship.
ps: you have no run-on sentences in your post.
May 19th, 2008 at 1:51 amIt’s funny that you mention there being two Macy’s in downtown L.A. … Recently I asked someone if it was true and was told it was. We lived a block from Macy’s Plaza on the corner of 7th and Hope but I didn’t know there was one over at 7th and Fig.
Your idea of a Target is a great one. I buy a number of cleaning supplies from there (Method brand!) and have to travel quite a way to get to the closest one.
Downtown will be a reality when stores like Target, Borders/Barnes and Noble ect. make there way into the city - and stay open past 5 pm.
May 19th, 2008 at 5:49 pmI guess I’m a live & let live person.. or something Joe.. not sure what. ;P I personally don’t care who the Mayor is or isn’t doing on his own time.. I would say more but after reading it, it just sounded silly. ;P
ok.. back to the thing about stores.. later hours would be nice and stores that real people would shop at would be nice too.. not necessarily Gap or whatever just you know.. stuff people need. Then again, who am I to guess what folks downtown need. Me? I want a TJs and a Target. That’s not too gentrified is it? (especially if they stick it where the other big retail stuff is located?) *grin*
May 20th, 2008 at 7:20 amI was just saying that the Mayor cuts the ribbon at an opening of a burger stand- seems like a poor use of time considering what that company is bringing in tax-wise, etc. I would happy if he was cutting the ribbon at a large retail store- I’m not picky, but with the budget crisis, it seems like there is better use of his time, when he could not free up his calendar to at least say a few words at an immigration rally- I guess he was probably afraid to open that “can of worms” this year.
As for Target, etc, most of my shopping is done on-line now, but a for nicer clothes I like to try on, at least until I can figure out how sizes work for a particular brand. To each his own…
May 20th, 2008 at 2:36 pmehh.. methinks I shouldn’t post late at night. ;P unfortunately because of insomnia and the cats (not always the cats) I have trouble sleeping at night.
I don’t know if tax-base is a consideration on these ribbon cuttings. A lot of ribbon cuttings are done at small-business or family-owned sized levels. If one uses the basis of how much revenue they can bring to the city, then that would cut out a lot of owners/managers like the businesses around downtown on Main Street or Broadway. We want those covered too! Maybe not always by the Mayor, but it’s important that these other folks get their recognition; Large or small.
May 20th, 2008 at 6:32 pmyou want another example of our mayor wasting his time? he was at the opening of the simpsons ride at universal studios.
yeah, i guess he had to be there to promote universal studios and the simpsons, which is neither small business or family-owned-size. but nbc/universal does bring revenue to the city and probably some to his campaign coffers as well.
May 20th, 2008 at 7:36 pmMeeko- exactly what I was trying to covey. Send Jan Perry to the smaller events, and by all means I would like every opening covered somewhere (blogdowntown, angelic, etc). I need to find those small burger joints!
May 20th, 2008 at 7:42 pmCelia- I’m confused- What does Johnny Rockets have to do with Simpsons/Universal City?
May 20th, 2008 at 7:44 pmFor example, I would think he would show at the ribbon cutting for Tranquility Base which has a sizable investment- but I guess that’s why I’m not a politician, just pay my texes and get pissed when the budget is a mess in LA.
http://blogdowntown.com/2008/04/3242-tranquility-base-opens-with-an-emotional
May 20th, 2008 at 8:02 pmJan Perry was there for that. (so was I *grin*) They have good cheeseburgers.. and the dip for the fries looked pretty interesting too. =)
May 20th, 2008 at 9:18 pmregarding Celia’s comment.. she was replying in re: your idea that the Mayor is time-wasting going to some of these ribbon cuttings The Mayor was there at the opening of the Simpsons attraction.. which I find a little weird cause Universal/NBC isn’t LA but LA County.. so uh..
*doh!* ;P I get her points… yes, it’s indirectly related to the running of the city, but really now.. time better spent elsewhere? I wonder if he’ll be at the streetcar event Thursday with Jan & Jose? hmmmm..
May 20th, 2008 at 9:23 pm